Und Pippa tanzt 1924

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner made ‘Und Pippa tanzt’ using crayon and ink, quickly and economically capturing a crowd in a busy, smoky interior. See how the dancers are captured with jagged, urgent lines—as if the picture is trying to catch up with them. I can imagine Kirchner caught up in the moment, quickly scribbling down what he sees—the dancer’s yellow dress against the red furniture, a man in a black hat, a room full of onlookers, and a slightly sinister atmosphere. Kirchner was part of the German Expressionist movement, and you can see it in his quick way of working, reducing figures down to their key gestures. I can feel the influence of artists like Munch here, whose approach to painting was equally frenzied, emotional, and psychologically charged. I’m drawn to the figure in the black hat, looming over the scene, who seems to embody a sense of unease. The whole thing feels unstable, raw. Painting is a conversation across time, and the way these artists exchange ideas is incredibly inspiring.